NASCAR Chairman Brian France says he made the call to fine Denny Hamlin $25,000 for criticizing NASCAR’s new car and stands by that decision.

Hamlin was fined for criticizing the new Gen-6 car and the quality of racing after the March 3 Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

The controversial fine stirred considerable debate among fans and throughout the NASCAR community. Hamlin was livid over the penalty and refused to pay it. He originally filed an appeal, but later dropped it, though he did not back down from his stance.

“We won in the judge of the people and their opinion,” Hamlin said after dropping his appeal. “Some of the peers of mine, at least the ones that have a backbone, had the nerve to stick up for what they know is right … (and) agreed.”

Hamlin was fined for “actions detrimental to stock-car racing” and for “denigrating” the sport.

France told ESPN.com that it was primarily his decision to fine Hamlin.

"There's always going to be, when we make decisions that are not black and white per se, we're always going to have people all over the organization that may not have made that call," France told ESPN.com. "But I did. I'm crystal clear with everybody about where the line is, what we can accept, and about how the sport is going today.

"And that is we give more latitude than any professional sport to criticize, speak their mind and say whatever they want. We encourage it, actually, including criticism that gets directed at us. But when the driver . . . begins to call out the quality of the racing or the rules packages, we have to make that call or opinions will shape what may not be reality."

France told ESPN.com that he met with Hamlin and believes that the two are now on the same page.

Hamlin acknowledged at Bristol March 15 that he and France talked, but said that he still believes NASCAR overreacted.

“We had a lot of the same ideas,” Hamlin said. “In hindsight, I really believe they overreacted, and I believe they think they overreacted once they thought about it a little bit.

“But now we’re at a point where we’re good with each other and we’re going to move on from here.”